Maro Itoje named British & Irish Lions Captain

Saracens academy graduate Maro Itoje has been named British and Irish Lions tour captain for the 2025 tour to Australia, marking the pinnacle of an astronomical rise for the 30-year-old.

This incredible accolade is not only groundbreaking in itself, but also marks the third time this season that Itoje has been awarded the captaincy. He was first named Saracens club captain at the start of the campaign, then led England through a successful Six Nations under Steve Borthwick, before being given the nod by Andy Farrell in a hotly contested race for the Lions captaincy.

Having started his career with Saracens in the junior academy, Itoje has previously skippered the side in LV Cup wins, Premiership Rugby Cup victories, and multiple Premiership and Champions Cup campaigns.

He already boasts six Lions tour caps, having travelled with the squad to both New Zealand and South Africa on previous tours.

Now, as he joins a select group of three-time tourists, Itoje will lead the Lions for the first time this summer. The squad will begin their campaign in Dublin against Argentina, before taking on six matches against Super Rugby and Invitational sides. The tour will culminate in a three-test series against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Upon the announcement, Director of Rugby Mark McCall said:

“Maro has been part of Saracens since he was 14 years old.

From the early days of his rugby journey, we all knew we were in the presence of someone special. His energy, competitive drive, and physical capacity made everyone stand up and pay attention.

Since those moments, it has been his love of the game, his dedication to his craft and his understanding of his teammates that has set him apart as a leader.

Maro leads our club, his country and now, the British and Irish Lions.

We are all so proud of all he has achieved and everything he represents; he is truly a generational talent.

We wish him and the squad every success this summer.”